Paul Kossoff

Paul Francis Kossoff (14 September 1950 – 19 March 1976) was an English guitarist, best known as the co-founder and guitarist of the rock band Free. In 2010, he was ranked number 51 in Rolling Stones list of the "100 Greatest Guitarists of All Time".

Early years Kossoff was born on 14 September 1950 in Hampstead, London, the son of Margaret (née Jenkins) and actor David Kossoff. His uncle was the broadcaster Alan Keith and he was a cousin of the judge Brian Keith and the model Linda Keith.

At age nine, Kossoff started classical guitar lessons with Blanche Monroe. His classical guitar training continued until he was fifteen. In December 1965, he saw Eric Clapton with John Mayall's Bluesbreakers at The Refectory, Golders Green, North West London. This encounter inspired him to purchase a Gibson Les Paul guitar. He received lessons from session guitarist Colin Falconer, who worked in the guitar department at Selmer's.

Free

In April 1968, Kossoff and Kirke teamed up with Paul Rodgers (vocals) and Andy Fraser (bass) to form Free. They toured for two years, during which they recorded two albums: Tons of Sobs (1968) and Free (1969). Both albums showcased the band's blues- and soul-influenced sound, a style that was in contrast to some of their progressive and heavier counterparts at the time.

Success came in 1970 when their third album, Fire and Water (1970), spawned the hit "All Right Now".

However, after the release of the next album, Highway (1970) and its relatively poor sales, band pressures led to a split. The live album Free Live! was recorded in 1970 and released in 1971 as a farewell record.

Songwriting Kossoff co-wrote several Free songs, including "Oh I Wept" and "Mr Big" on the Fire and Water album.

After Free Rodgers and Kirke went on to form the successful supergroup Bad Company.

Kossoff released a solo album, Back Street Crawler (1973). He then accompanied John Martyn on a 1975 tour.

Kossoff then assembled a group called Back Street Crawler, which released two albums: The Band Plays On in 1975 and 2nd Street in 1976. Recordings from one of the band's UK concerts in 1975 were first released in 1983 on the album Live at Croydon Fairfield Halls 15/6/75.

Kossoff's guitar playing was also much in demand for session work and he contributed solos on several albums including: Martha Veléz's Fiends and Angels (1969); Michael Gately's Gately's Cafe (1971) and Mike Vernon's 1971 album Bring It Back Home; Uncle Dog's Old Hat (1972); Jim Capaldi's Oh How We Danced (1972) and Short Cut Draw Blood (1975); The Amazing Blondel's Mulgrave Street (1974).

Kossoff's drug use made him unreliable in the latter stages of Free.

Death Kossoff's unhappiness following the break-up of Free and his drug addictions contributed to a drastic decline in his health.

Kossoff died on a flight from Los Angeles to New York City on 19 March 1976 from a pulmonary embolism after a blood clot in his leg moved to his lung, while touring America with Back Street Crawler. His body was returned to England and cremated at Golders Green Crematorium in North West London. His epitaph in the Summerhouse there reads: "All right now".

Legacy One of Kossoff's guitars, a 1957 Fender Stratocaster, was bought by Dave Murray of the heavy metal band Iron Maiden; Murray paid £1,400 for the guitar in 1976 .

In 2012, one of his most famous and iconic guitars, a 1959 Gibson Les Paul (the Kossoff Burst), was recreated and made into a limited edition reissue by Gibson and named the 'Paul Kossoff 1959 Les Paul Standard'.

In December 2015, Bonhams listed for auction a Gibson Les Paul Standard owned by Kossoff from 1970 to 1976.

In April 2017, Guitar magazine featured the 'stripped' Gibson Les Paul that Kossoff played at the Isle of Wight Festival in 1970. Kossoff sold the guitar to Mike Gooch (of the punk/power pop band 'Wish') and in May 1994 it was sold for £12,000 at Christie's.

Selected discography Free

Tons of Sobs (1969) Free (1969) Fire and Water (1970) Highway (1971) Free Live! (1971) Free at Last (1972) Heartbreaker (1973) Songs of Yesterday (5-CD box set, 2000) Free – Live at the BBC (2-CD set, 2006)

Paul Kossoff, Simon Kirke, Tetsu Yamauchi, John "Rabbit" Bundrick Kossoff Kirke Tetsu Rabbit (1972)

Back Street Crawler The Band Plays On (1975) 2nd Street (1976) Live at Croydon Fairfield Halls 15/6/75 (1983) 2-LP (Note: after Kossoff's death, the band—now called simply 'Crawler'—made further albums)

Solo Back Street Crawler (1973) Koss (1977) 2-LP compilation Blue Soul (1986) 2-LP compilation